Claire Smith

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Scripture:

Malachi 3:1-4
Hebrews 2: 14-18
Luke 2:22-40 or 2:22-32

Reflection:

Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way… Hebrews 2:16-17

This Feast of the Presentation, forty days after Christmas, has been the traditional close of the Christmas season. When I listened to the stories around Jesus’ birth and infancy this year, I was struck by the humility and vulnerability of the Holy Family when Jesus “became like his brothers and sisters in every way” (today’s second reading from Hebrews) .

In today’s Gospel, we find Mary, Joseph and Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem practicing the ancient customs of Mary’s purification after childbirth, and Jesus’ presentation: the offering of the first-born son. Even though Mary was told by the angel that she was “full of grace” when he presented her with her special vocation, she still went to be purified. And she and Joseph took Jesus to offer him to God, even though he came from God. Mary and Joseph, observant Jews that they were, humbly complied with the law of Moses and performed the rituals.

Since they could not afford a sheep, Mary and Joseph gave the offering of the poor: two turtledoves and two young pigeons. This is a reminder of their precarious circumstances: the stable birth, Jesus’ escape from the murderous Herod, and their flight into Egypt. The Incarnation means literally to “take on flesh”.  Jesus in taking on flesh, fully entered into our vulnerable human condition and “became like his brothers and sisters in every way”.

In our American culture, success is often seen as being ever more prosperous, influential, and in control. The Holy Family shows us a different way: humbly trusting in the Holy Spirit to lead our lives. With each Christmas season that passes, may this countercultural message sink in more!

Patty Gillis is a retired Pastoral Minister. She served on the Board of Directors at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit. She is currently a member of the Laudato Si Vision Fulfillment Team and the Passionist Solidarity Network.

Scripture:

Hebrews 11:32-40
Mark 5:1-20

Reflection:

The reading today from Mark’s Gospel is the longest exorcism story in the New Testament.  The driving out of demons probably strikes most of us today as strange, to say the least.  But for the ancient world in which Jesus lived, the personified power of evil was viewed as a real threat that could wound and even destroy human life.  In fact, in Mark’s Gospel exorcism is a characteristic action of Jesus’ mission.  The first thing Jesus does in Mark’s account, is to liberate a man in the synagogue of Capernaum who was convulsed with “an evil spirit.” 

Reading the account of the Gadarene demoniac brings us deeper into the dynamic force of Jesus’ mission.  He and his disciples cross over the Sea of Galilee to Gerasa, a region in the Decapolis, a league of ten cities populated by Gentiles.  As Jesus comes ashore a man possessed by a demon approaches him.  Mark vividly describes the man’s plight: he lives among the tombs (the living dead); he is self-destructive, bruising himself with stones; he is out of control—breaking the chains and shackles that people had used to restrain him; and not surprisingly this poor tormented man cries out day and night in torment.  Mark’s description puts in existential terms what being “possessed by a demon” meant—a human being isolated, ill, dehumanized.

This is the type of situation Jesus, the great healer and reconciler, the one filled with God’s own healing Spirit, has come to transform. The evil spirit recognizes what it is up against in confronting Jesus: “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I adjure you by God, do not torment me!”  But there is no question that the power of Jesus to heal is stronger than any evil.  Jesus demands to know the demon’s name.  “Legion is my name. There are many of us.”  This is a fascinating detail of the story—the Latin word “legio” is the term used for the Roman army situated on the Golan heights close to where this story takes place.  The oppression represented by the might of Rome choking the people of Israel was another existential example of what being tormented by evil felt like.

Jesus proceeds to liberate the man from his torment—sending the demon into a herd of pigs which rush down into the sea and drown.  Of course, for the Jewish background of this story, pigs were an unclean animal and the sea was a fearsome place, a proper end for evil.

Most important in the story is the outcome.  The man who was so de-humanized and wracked by suffering is now completely healed, “sitting there clothed and in his right mind.”   A human being restored to life.  When the people from the nearby village come to see what had happened, they are thunderstruck to find the man they had feared and isolated in the tombs now fully restored, and, as was often the case in the biblical world, they are overwhelmed by fear and awe of such divine power and plead with Jesus to depart from them.  Not so the man who had been healed by Jesus.  He pleads to stay with him.  Instead, Jesus gives him a commission: “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his mercy has done for you.”  The man, liberated and thrilled, becomes the first Gentile missionary—going throughout the Decapolis region, proclaiming “what Jesus had done for him and all were amazed.”

Few stories in the Gospels match the drama of this event or more clearly reveal the mission of Jesus—and the mission of those who follow Jesus then and now.  When confronting human suffering in all its forms, the Christian is to use God’s grace for healing and reconciliation.  In a world still filled with suffering and injustice, the story of the Gadarene demoniac forcefully reminds us of our Christian responsibility.

Fr. Donald Senior, C.P. is President Emeritus and Professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union.  He lives at the Passionist residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 7:32-35 
Mark 1:21-28    

Reflection:

Be free of anxieties. /v.32a
I know who you are – the Holy One of God! /v.24b

Happy Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time!

It’s a really interesting thought.  Nutty, actually.

“Have no anxiety at all.”

Every time I read the first line of this particular passage from 1st Corinthians I laugh, sarcastically, and say “yeah, RIGHT! In this life?  No way.”  And I have a sneaking suspicion that I’m probably not alone.  I mean, just think of the simple things we are worried about every day: food and shelter and clothing, taxes, work, bills, family, friends, and oh so much more.

And then these things:  Betrayal.     Hate.     Murder.     War.     Illness.     Death.

But what about our spirit? 

Do we worry about our soul?

I was reading Charles Dickens’ “The Christmas Carol” the other night.  Ok, I know that you’re saying “The Christmas Carol?  Puccinelli, you’re the one who’s NUTTY!”  Well, you’re probably right… but bear with me for a moment. 

I think we probably all will know this story… A wealthy miser called Scrooge is tormented by 4 spirits: at first, one of an old friend, and then three others who turn the screws on him until he’s frenzied and nearly out of control.  It’s only at that moment that he accepts the call of God through the glory of Christmas, the point in time when he begins following the example of Christ, that he is saved.  It’s Jesus that saves Scrooge. 

It’s not unlike today’s Gospel (Mark 1:21-28), when Jesus calls out to a man tortured by a frantic spirit and commands him healing, peaceful salvation. What a gift to know that God wants us to be peaceful and happy, and is willing to help us get there.  It is Jesus who saves us.  All we have to do is recognize Jesus for who he really is: The Christ, the Lamb who takes our sins. 

“The Holy One of God.”

Dear God of all healing, thank you for the incredible prize of your powerful salvation.  Please grant us the grace to know you and have all anxiety flee our souls at the sound of your voice. Amen.

Peace and love to you today, and forever.

Paul Puccinelli is Director of Liturgy & Music at St. Rita Parish in Sierra Madre, California, and a member of the retreat team at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center.

Scripture: 

Hebrews 10:32-39
Mark 4:26-34

Reflection:

 “Remember the days past when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a great contest of suffering.” Hebrews 10:32

The readings for today are a great reminder for us that it is important to cultivate our faith. That faith is what helps us through the good times and the times we are now experiencing. Even during these days of living in a pandemic it is important to continue to take time to read and reflect on the scriptures, listen to music that inspires us or helps us to meditate. A good spiritual book is helpful as well. Feeding the soul couldn’t be more important during these months of the pandemic.

The second part of the Gospel speaks of the Kingdom of God starting as the size of a mustard seed, which is very small and yet grows into a large plant. Even during the pandemic, the Kingdom of God continues to grow through our struggle. Through our willingness to help those around us. In the midst of winter, the Church reminds us that growth happens at all times. Even in the grip of a pandemic we can grow as Church and as a person.

May these be days of hope and growth for you and your loved ones. May we all pray for one another and for those who are struggling in any way.

Linda Schork is a theology teacher at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky.

Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas

Scripture:

Hebrews 10:19-25
Mark 4:21-25

Reflection:

Today the church celebrates Saint Thomas Aquinas considered one of the Catholic Church’s greatest theologians and philosophers.  The works of Aquinas have long been used as a core of the required program of study for those seeking ordination as priests and deacons as well as those seeking formation in other disciplines in philosophy, Catholic theology, church history, liturgy and canon law.  He is regarded as the master and patron of Catholic academia. In a real sense, we have Aquinas to thank for giving us a model of how to live and love as faithful Christians no matter the deity one follows or worships.

So how are we supposed to worship and live as faithful Christians today!?  In the reading from Hebrews we hear;

            We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.

In our psalm response we hear:

            A lamp to my feet is your word, a light to my path.

In the Gospel from Mark, we are encouraged to let our light shine, taking care not to keep it hidden under a bushel basket.  We are reminded that there is nothing hidden and to make all things visible; that nothing is secret except to come to light.  Furthermore, we are called to listen carefully and to act accordingly.

This past week has been filled with much excitement as we said goodbye to past leadership and welcomed new leadership for our country. It is a time of hope and promise as well as anxiety and concern for the problems and issues that surround us.  Our scriptures seem to dwell on the importance of ‘light’.  The young poet laureate, Amanda Gorman, gave us this image of ‘light’ in her stirring poem, The Hill We Climb.

‘When day comes, we step out of the shade aflame and unafraid.  The new dawn blooms as we free it.  For there is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it.  If only we’re brave enough to be it.’

The light of Christ shines brightly within each one of us.  We are called to share this light with those around us, whether it be those we agree or disagree with.  Sharing the light of Christ with others takes courage, determination, faith and love.  For so many months and years it seems we have been surrounded by the darkness of despair and negativity.  The gospel message, the message of our new leadership, the hope of the coronavirus vaccine, the sunshine that streams in my window as I write this reflection, the news of an impending birth is just some of the ways I feel bathed in the Light of Christ. What are yours!

Let us rouse one another to love and good works.  Let us keep our lamps lit and shining.  Let us always be brave to not only see the light but also to BE IT!

HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR!

Theresa Secord recently retired as a Pastoral Associate at St. Agnes Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Hebrews 10:11-18
Mark 4:1-20

Reflection:

Think of how you envision Jesus – the face you see, the language you would hear when you spoke to him, the look of his eyes, the gentleness of his voice. We see Jesus in a way we understand, just as Jesus speaks to those around him in parables so they will understand; he presents stories to them with things that are familiar. Being from the country and a simple craftsman, he spoke to people as he sat in a boat, speaking about seeds and planting, and they enjoyed hearing him speak.

So, in using these parables, he presents scenarios that include things that the people could relate to, making his messages easier to understand. It is Jesus’ way of making people think – not by simply giving them the answers, but causing them to ponder, reflect and think about their surroundings, their lives, the answers their hearts were searching for. I had a priest once tell me, when I asked him a specific question of scriptural understanding, to pray about my question and figure it out! That bothered me at first, but he went on to say that it was not his duty to give me the answers, but for me to discern and seek what I needed. This is what Jesus wants for his people – to grasp meaning in a way that they will understand.

So, when some of the disciples don’t understand what he is saying, he is surprised, saying “To you is granted the secret of the Kingdom of God; but to those who are outside everything comes in parables, so that they may look and not perceive, listen but not understand, to avoid changing their ways and being healed!” I believe that those who truly follow the Messiah get it, and those who were not could not understand the significance of what he was trying to present.

The best explanation of this reading is what is written at the end:

Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 
Those sown among thorns are another sort. 
They are the people who hear the word, 
but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things 
intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit.
But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.

Patty Masson supports the Passionists from Spring, Texas.

Scripture:

2 Timothy 1:1-8 or Titus 1:1-5
Mark 3:31-35

Reflection:

A mentor many years ago gave me sage advice I have never forgotten. He urged me in my work in non-profit management to listen carefully to what people say, then look at what they do. That, he said, will tell me far more than their words.

When I had an important hire to make, of course the resumé looked impeccable. The first interview was always impressive. Then I took them to lunch. Did they acknowledge the waitstaff or say thank you when the food arrived?  Did they complain about the food or service? Were they genuinely grateful for what they had? Actions do indeed speak louder than words. We reveal our true selves in how we behave, especially when we do not think others are watching. Every weekend night during high school, as I was headed out to be with friends, my father would say, “Be a ‘G’,” meaning, be a gentleman.

So, Jesus asks, “’Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’”

We’ve experienced so much rancor and deception in these past months. So many awful words, lies, clichés, labels, and epithets strewn across the socio-political spectrum—often from religious leaders! But let’s go back to what Jesus suggests we do. Look at who’s actually doing the will of God. Who is kind and generous? Who brings peace? Who reaches out to the poor and those excluded from society? Who goes up to talk with the stranger? Who lifts the spirits of those in despair?

The gospel calls us to align our words with our actions, to put our faith into action and demonstrate the love we profess. Don’t just say it, be it!

Robert Hotz is a consultant with American City Bureau, Inc. and was the Director of The Passion of Christ: The Love That Compels Campaign for Holy Cross Province.